Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC
Retention of hydrogen isotopes is a critical concern for operating fusion reactors as retained tritium both activates components and removes scarce fuel from the fuel cycle. Radiation-induced displacement damage in SiC influences the retention of hydrogen isotopes compared to pristine SiC. Deuterium...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnuen.2025.1534820/full |
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| author | Alex Leide Weicheng Zhong Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Duc Nguyen-Manh Duc Nguyen-Manh Takaaki Koyanagi |
| author_facet | Alex Leide Weicheng Zhong Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Duc Nguyen-Manh Duc Nguyen-Manh Takaaki Koyanagi |
| author_sort | Alex Leide |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Retention of hydrogen isotopes is a critical concern for operating fusion reactors as retained tritium both activates components and removes scarce fuel from the fuel cycle. Radiation-induced displacement damage in SiC influences the retention of hydrogen isotopes compared to pristine SiC. Deuterium retention in neutron irradiated high purity SiC has been compared to different microstructures of non-irradiated high purity SiC using thermal desorption spectroscopy after gas charging and low energy ion implantation. Experimental results show lower deuterium retention in single crystal SiC than in polycrystal SiC indicating that grain boundaries are key trapping features in unirradiated SiC. Deuterium is released at lower temperatures in neutron irradiated polycrystal SiC compared to pristine polycrystal SiC, suggesting weaker trapping by radiation-induced defects compared to grain boundary trapping sites in the pristine materials. Low energy ion implantation caused a high deuterium release temperature, highlighting the sensitivity of deuterium release behaviour to radiation defect characteristics. First principles calculations have been conducted to identify energetically favourable trapping sites in SiC at the HABcVSi and HTSiVC complexes, and migration barriers between interstitial sites. This helps interpret experimental results and derive effective diffusivity of hydrogen isotopes in SiC in the presence of vacancies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41e60d88da7c48e09e9ace98d0cda076 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2813-3412 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-41e60d88da7c48e09e9ace98d0cda0762025-02-10T12:14:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering2813-34122025-02-01410.3389/fnuen.2025.15348201534820Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiCAlex Leide0Weicheng Zhong1Isabel Fernandez-Victorio2Isabel Fernandez-Victorio3Duc Nguyen-Manh4Duc Nguyen-Manh5Takaaki Koyanagi6Materials Division, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Abingdon, United KingdomMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United StatesMaterials Division, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Abingdon, United KingdomDepartment of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomMaterials Division, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Abingdon, United KingdomDepartment of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomMaterials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United StatesRetention of hydrogen isotopes is a critical concern for operating fusion reactors as retained tritium both activates components and removes scarce fuel from the fuel cycle. Radiation-induced displacement damage in SiC influences the retention of hydrogen isotopes compared to pristine SiC. Deuterium retention in neutron irradiated high purity SiC has been compared to different microstructures of non-irradiated high purity SiC using thermal desorption spectroscopy after gas charging and low energy ion implantation. Experimental results show lower deuterium retention in single crystal SiC than in polycrystal SiC indicating that grain boundaries are key trapping features in unirradiated SiC. Deuterium is released at lower temperatures in neutron irradiated polycrystal SiC compared to pristine polycrystal SiC, suggesting weaker trapping by radiation-induced defects compared to grain boundary trapping sites in the pristine materials. Low energy ion implantation caused a high deuterium release temperature, highlighting the sensitivity of deuterium release behaviour to radiation defect characteristics. First principles calculations have been conducted to identify energetically favourable trapping sites in SiC at the HABcVSi and HTSiVC complexes, and migration barriers between interstitial sites. This helps interpret experimental results and derive effective diffusivity of hydrogen isotopes in SiC in the presence of vacancies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnuen.2025.1534820/fullsilicon carbidehydrogen isotope retentionthermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS)neutron radiation damagedensity function theory (DFT) |
| spellingShingle | Alex Leide Weicheng Zhong Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Isabel Fernandez-Victorio Duc Nguyen-Manh Duc Nguyen-Manh Takaaki Koyanagi Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering silicon carbide hydrogen isotope retention thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) neutron radiation damage density function theory (DFT) |
| title | Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC |
| title_full | Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC |
| title_fullStr | Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC |
| title_short | Effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in SiC |
| title_sort | effect of microstructure and neutron irradiation defects on deuterium retention in sic |
| topic | silicon carbide hydrogen isotope retention thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) neutron radiation damage density function theory (DFT) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnuen.2025.1534820/full |
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